Happy With Ratzinger! (No, Really!): Rudy Giuliani: The Republican John Kerry

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Rudy Giuliani: The Republican John Kerry

The more that I hear about Rudy Giuliani, the less that I like him. The old: "I'm personally opposed to abortion but can't force my religious beliefs on the American people" routine is wearing rather thin. It turned out to be a sucker's bet in the last presidential election as John Kerry attempted to turn that sow's ear into a silk purse with the same argument. What makes Rudy believe that he can attract any more pro-life voters than John Kerry did with this morally bankrupt philosophy? And how can he win a general election without the full support of the pro-life community? I doubt that he will be able to draw off a usable percentage of Hillary's abortion supporters who would certainly see their interests better served in even the worst Democratic administration over even the best Republican administration.

As for a candidate's moral compass: why else would you vote for someone? Don't we send people to elected office because we are trusting them to make good moral judgements on our behalf, at least on what we think is a moral good? So basically, what Rudy Giuliani and John Kerry before him are saying is this, only diabetically sugar-coated: Screw the Pope. Screw the teachings of the Church. We've found a personal pastor who is more interested in our membership in his church and in our finances and prestige than he is in saving souls. We shall not serve any religion or moral code other than one of our own making.

I think that I would rather vote for a faithful Evangelical or Mormon before I would vote for a bad Catholic. Although I don't agree with all of their views as pertains to religion, at least I can hope that they will be as faithful to our country as they are to their religion.

Giuliani says he will not challenge Pope on abortion-Communion

Washington DC, May 15, 2007 / 12:50 pm (CNA).- Rudy Giuliani refused to challenge Pope Benedict XVI, who said last week that Catholic politicians who favor abortion have excommunicated themselves and should not take Communion.

The former mayor of New York is pro-abortion and said his differences with the Catholic Church are between him, God and his confessor, not the Pope. Giuliani is running for the leadership of the Republican Party.

"I don't get into debates with the Pope," Giuliani told reporters. "Issues like that for me are between me and my confessor. ... I'm a Catholic and that's the way I resolve those issues, personally and privately.

Giuliani resorted to the common false idea that there can be a split between what one believes in public and what one legislates for the sake of the common good. "That's what religion is all about — it's something that's between you and your conscience and God and then whoever your spiritual advisers are," he was quoted as saying.

The Giuliani campaign Wednesday night deflected questions about Giuliani's spiritual advisers and whether he takes Communion, saying that those are private issues.

Labels: Abortion, Catholic, Catholicism, Communion, Rudy Giuliani